


take a leap of faith

by manghoe



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 1x10 AU, 1x10 coda, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, M/M, and yes i included iz bc im in love with her, i literally cannot write a magnus that is not flirty, shadowhunters 1x10, so it may seem kinda like canon divergence, this strongly follows show canon, this world inverted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 04:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6359518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manghoe/pseuds/manghoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You wouldn’t happen to be leaving the party you crashed so soon without stopping to dance, would you?,” Alec drawled confidently. Magnus opened his mouth, to say anything, to stutter out that he really had been on the guest list, but nothing came out. He had always gotten flustered when people this gorgeous spoke to him like this, but Alec simply exuded confidence and self-awareness in how hot he was out of every pore. There was a time when Magnus had been like that, what seemed centuries before, but the loss of his magic had broken him in a way heartbreak had never managed to. He had finally gotten his magic back, but all those years he had spent refusing to get out had made him forget just how it felt to like someone- like that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	take a leap of faith

**Author's Note:**

> this work is unbetaed, like all of my stuff lol
> 
> simply because i'm malec trash and we could all use some fluff after what the show is putting us through lmao

Magnus shatters the interdimensional portal in a rush of blue sparks that makes him giddy with the newly awoken power surging through his arm. He is left staring at a blank wall, feeling full in his magical abilities for the first time in decades, because _Lilith_ , he used to be the High Warlock of Brooklyn (before such a position was dissolved with the permanent banishment of all demons) and he knows what sheer power is. He grins, one of his rare full-blown smiles that is usually reserved for his friends Ragnor and Catarina when they visit. Magnus flexes his forearm to fully experience the return of his magic, waving his fingers around as Clary of the other universe’s words come back to him.

“You usually do it with more of a….flourish.” And Magnus thinks, yeah, that really could be him. His optimistic thoughts are interrupted by the faint noises of his universe’s Clary and Jace waking up, and he performs a quick spell to wipe their memory of the past minutes. He isn’t heartless, and he sure hopes the poor blonde mundie boy doesn’t remember the demon or Magnus himself, as that would bring on a whole onslaught of questions he _really_ doesn’t want to answer.

He is skipping back up the stairs leading to the main hall of the Institute as they come to, and even though his magic has returned, Magnus has forgotten just how much energy it takes to create a portal. He’s _exhausted_ , and he just wants to slip out of this party and go home to a piping hot, comforting cup of hot chocolate, the novel he had left abandoned in favor of helping Clary, and his cat Chairman Meow (.....yes, ok, also Church).

His wistful thoughts of home are interrupted by a hand on his shoulder as he makes his way through the throng of people assembled and dancing at the party. It truly is a wonderful party, making him nostalgic of the ones he used to attend and throw, but all he wants right now is to go home and rest. Magnus turns, with a raised eyebrow and defensive position ready to argue with whomever has stopped him from leaving-

Oh. _Oh._

It’s that man from earlier. Alec Lightwood, the man who’d been gracious enough to invite him into the party even though his name had not been on the guestlist. Magnus vaguely remembers Lightwood as one of the names of the old Shadowhunter families, and this man must have been one of their descendants because he sure did look angelic. Magnus’ eyes looked him over, taking in his perfectly styled hair that seemed not to have a strand out of place even though the man had just been dancing. Alec wore a deep, royal blue shirt, apparently having shed his blazer through the night, with his sleeves rolled up and goodness, that did things for his arms that sent a quick swooping sensation through his stomach. Magnus let his eyes trail back up to Alec’s face (really, it should be illegal for someone to be _that_ tall) and blushed at the smirk on Alec’s features, who had obviously noticed where Magnus’ gaze had fallen seconds before.

“You wouldn’t happen to be leaving the party you crashed so soon without stopping to dance, would you?,” Alec drawled confidently. Magnus opened his mouth, to say anything, to stutter out that _he really had been on the guest list_ , but nothing came out. He had always gotten flustered when people this beautiful spoke to him like this, but Alec simply exuded confidence and self-awareness in how hot he was out of every pore. There was a time when Magnus had been like that, what seemed and probably was centuries before, but the loss of his magic had broken him in a way heartbreak had never managed to. He had finally gotten his magic back, but all those years he had spent refusing to get out had made him forget just how it felt to like someone- like _that_.

And oh yes, it would seem that Alec Lightwood felt some of the same of how Magnus did, if the flirtatious glint in his eyes and softening smile was anything to go by. So Magnus took a chance, a leap of faith, and utilized his slowly rebuilding confidence.

“No, of course not. I was simply looking for a certain extremely tall and  _gorgeous_ party planner. You haven’t seen him around, have you?" 

Alec's smile widens into something more genuine and amused at that and Magnus knows he has made the right decision to ignore his exhaustion and hang around for this intriguing person. 

"No can't say I have. I must be a sore substitute for  _that_ guy, but perhaps I'll suffice. What do you think?" 

Magnus feels the flirty persona he had channeled quickly dwindling, and he stumbles over his words as he says, "Um..yeah. Definitely! I'd have no problem with that-no problem at all! So...yeah... I mean I'd say that you probably more than suffice and  _oh God, I'm still talking aren't I?"_

Alec, to his credit, seems to find all this terribly amusing and his charming smirk comes back strong, making Magnus' breath hitch in his throat. Alec seems to register this, and with a low voice that seems to carry over to Magnus despite the rambunctious party, asks, "So do you wanna get some drinks? Or I mean we could do something much more...physical," and ok, yeah, Magnus is most definitely _not_  imagining the way Alec's eyes are tracing up and down his body for what's probably the third time this night.

"Drinks! Drinks sound...great!" Magnus exclaims, in a rush to stop his brain from going down  _that_ particular road. 

Hours later, Magnus finds himself sitting on a couch in the corner of the party in the Main Institute Hall, alongside the enigma that is Alexander Lightwood (it had taken Alec probably 30 minutes to tell Magnus that little detail, and Magnus had latched on to the name since). They had talked about family, shared funny stories (which Magnus had to modify a great deal given that he hadn't exactly gotten out much since Victorian times), and danced the night away. At one point when they were dancing, a short girl with slightly nerdy glasses who looked a lot like Alec had come up to them and promptly started shrieking to Alec about how her boyfriend Simon (or Sherman, was it? Magnus had always been dreadful with names) had asked her to move in with him. Alec had calmed her down slightly, all the while sporting a wide, loving smile that made Magnus like him just a little more. The girl, whom Alec had introduced as his sister Isabelle, transformed Alec with just her presence. He turned into a brother who Magnus could tell would do anything to protect his family, if his current threats to his sister to give Sherman the shovel talk  _yet again_ were any indication. 

Halfway through her regaling speech concerning the many wonderful attributes of Suleiman, through which Alec had been making gagging motions every minute, Isabelle suddenly stopped. Magnus, who in all honesty, had been staring at Alec the whole time just to see that smile on his face, realized far too late that Isabelle had turned to him.  

"Alec didn't tell me he was bringing a date tonight! What gives, big brother?" She playfully smacked Alec on the arm and Magnus felt his face flush. 

The brother in question adopted a dry tone, saying "I already introduced him to you, Izzy. You were way too busy telling me all about Simon, in far too much detail, may I add. This is Magnus," and suddenly Alec turned more hesitant, a look Magnus discovered simply made Alec that much more alluring, before continuing, "And he isn't my date. We just met."

At that, Isabelle raised her eyebrows at her brother, somehow sporting a combined look of surprise and knowingness that made Magnus nervous. She adopted a pensive look before leaving them with a simple, "Have fun boys!" that had way too much hidden meaning and emotion to it than Magnus expected or understood. 

After that, Magnus had been introduced to Lydia and Jace (the real one), having already heard a few stories from Alec that did nothing to prepare Magnus for meeting the hurricane that was Alec's best friends.

They had continued dancing and talking without a lull in the conversation. Until now, when both had finally stopped looking past their exhaustion and were more than a little tipsy, stumbling over to a plushy electric blue couch and falling over, Magnus tucked closely into Alec's side in a way that was  _decidedly not platonic_ , when Magnus finally got his wits together and realized he'd been out later this night, at this party than he had in generations. 

"I really should be going..." Magnus whispers into Alec's side, though he resolutely did not move from his comforting position nestled into his side. Alec makes a disappointed sound at that, which gives Magnus much more joy than it should, and he straightens up, moving slightly away from Magnus. 

"Yeah, I get it. Can I get your number?" And the flirtatious, charming front Alec has put up through the night is suddenly gone, replaced with something a little... nervous? Magnus has no idea why Alexander would feel so, it's not like Magnus had given him any reason to believe that he wouldn't give him his number. Magnus reaches into his pocket, drawing out a ballpoint pen and handing it to Alec, who appears slightly amused that Magnus carries pens around with him. 

"Just write yours on my hand would you? My phone died earlier." Magnus states, and without a beat, Alec is grabbing at his hand and writing it down with a furrow in his brow spelling concentration. Alec hands the pen back to Magnus, not letting go of his hand and raising his head to look straight into Magnus' eyes. For some reason, the situation seems much more intimate than it is, and Magnus' breath hitches at the slightly dark look in Alec's deep eyes. The spell is suddenly broken and they surge forward, meeting in the middle with a smack of limbs and a clash of lips and a flush of chests- 

Magnus, however old he may be, feels fireworks, supernovas, a clap of lightning and thunder, every cliched metaphor doing nothing to detail how he feels at the press of Alec's lips to his own. He really wasn't lying when he told Clary that he had remained abstinent from most pleasures ever since he lost his magic. He and Alec moved in tandem, chaste kisses and shy movements that did nothing to dispel the want and attraction in Magnus' soul for Alec. 

He felt himself pout a little as they both pulled away, opening his eyes to Alec looking at him with something akin to wonder. Magnus looked down, flustered and slightly terrified by the raw passion in Alec's eyes. Alec gently brings his fingers to Magnus' chin, bringing his head up to look into his eyes and whisper, "Call me?"

And well, if months later, Magnus and Alec are lying in bed together, and Magnus thinks about the circumstances that brought them together, he doesn't once complain about that Ravener demon. 

**Author's Note:**

> forgive me i am but a teen i do not know how to write proper flirting
> 
> hmu at tumblr @matheusdaddario !! we can scream about shadowhunters and if u wanna beta for me you can contact me there or here about it
> 
> i have some other au ideas so stay tuned for that!


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